San Diego Wedding: Happy Anniversary Melanie + Keith!

Today marks a special day for one our bridal couples, Melanie and Keith. Exactly one year ago, this fun-loving Orange County couple tied the knot in a destination wedding in San Diego and we were so excited to be on hand to help them celebrate.

We originally met Melanie and Keith back in May 2010 when we got together for engagement photos at our secret spot in Irvine, after which we scheduled some time to hang out—and spent three hours chatting over burgers at The Counter. That’s the kind of people they are: friendly, talkative, and fun. So we should not have been surprised at the awesomeness that was their wedding, and what a fantastic day we had!

Lori kicked off the afternoon in the Presidential suite of the San Diego Westin Emerald Plaza where the ladies got the buff-and-polish treatment with a top-floor view of the city and harbor. Keith checked in with the ladies, but quickly had enough of the hairspray and left to hang with Keith and the guys, whose suite was a couple floors down but nonetheless impressive.

To be sure there was ample time for portraits, Melanie and Keith opted for a first look and bridal photos prior to their ceremony, which is something we always encourage our couples to consider, especially when planning a fall wedding when the days are short and less afternoon light is available.

Next we headed over to the beautiful St. George Serbian Orthodox Church in San Diego. What a fantastic house of worship—floor-to-ceiling mosaics, towering stained glass windows, and chandeliers, all with an intimacy you don’t get in today’s mega-churches. They even had a choir singing from the loft.

The bride, as expected, was beautiful. She carried in a bouquet of red and white roses which was a recreation of a bouquet Keith presented when dating.

Following the wedding everyone assembled back at the Westin for a celebration. Melanie put a lot of effort into getting everything just right, and it showed—she has a good eye for the details. It’s the first wedding we’ve seen with a donut station… that’s right, fresh donuts made onsite (provided by Sensational Sweets) and sprinkled with your favorite toppings.

And to celebrate Keith’s Jewish heritage, the reception included a Jewish blessing complete with a breaking-of-the-glass, Seven Blessings, and of course the hora dance (along with a traditional Serbian dance).

We’re proud to remain friends with this super couple, and we wish them a fantastic first anniversary!

Mentoring sessions are now available! Are you trying to break into photography as a professional and need some advice to get started? Or maybe you're a mom trying desperately to get better photos of your kids? We can help!

We offer two-hour, one-on-one sessions to go over what YOU want to learn. Topics could include camera settings, basic natural lighting techniques, advice about your website, or whatever you need to know to be more successful.

And before we end the session, we'll take some headshots for your blog or Facebook page! Cost is $200. Contact us for further details.